Unfortunately, ridicule doesn’t kill. The media:
a « gift » from Hamas during its latest grotesque staging of Israeli hostages
The coverage of this week’s Israeli-Palestinian prisoner exchange was marked by a sense of inevitability, a hallmark of the first phase of the cease-fire agreement between Israel and Hamas. From the first moments of this grotesque staging – in a brand new setting adorned with banners bearing slogans in Arabic and approximate Hebrew – it was clear that Hamas had carefully orchestrated the event for two distinct audiences, each receiving very different messages.
There was an air of inevitability to the media coverage of this week’s Israeli-Palestinian prisoner exchanges, a centerpiece of the first phase of the ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas. From the outset of this grotesque staging – with a flamboyant backdrop adorned with banners in approximate Arabic and Hebrew – it was evident that Hamas had orchestrated this event for two distinct audiences, each receiving very different messages.
The primary audience was, of course, Israel. Hamas was trying to send a message to the Israeli population—the one it had attacked with unprecedented brutality on October 7—asserting its invincibility and its ability to unleash a new wave of terror against Israeli civilians. That’s why Hamas members appeared in stolen IDF uniforms, brandishing weapons recovered during the October 7 massacre, and why the hostages were transported in a vehicle stolen the same day. The whole thing resembled psychological warfare wrapped in a grotesque staging.
Then, there was the symbolic « gift. » Hamas handed hostage Iair Horn a package to take back to Israel, perversely reminding him that his younger brother, Eitan, is still in captivity. This package contained an hourglass, which he was forced to hold up in front of the cameras and the crowd, along with the faces of the hostage Matan Zangauker and his mother, Einav, an activist for the release of captives, as well as a worrying message: « Time is running out. »
International media also represent a potential target for Hamas. With billions of people to reach, these media outlets have the power to inform the masses and, as we have seen, many of them have not hesitated to embellish Hamas’s image by relaying its propaganda. That’s why Hamas invited journalists to film these grotesque spectacles, convinced that most media outlets would not describe them as such.
For the Israelis, these parades of innocents – held for nearly 500 days – are a true nightmare. Seeing them parade as mere props before they can return to their homes is heartbreaking. And those unhealthy « souvenirs » given to them each week are nothing more than disguised threats.
It is disheartening to see that these terrorist tactics are often reported in a biased manner. When CNN described a threatening hourglass sent to the mother of a man still in captivity as a « keepsake, » it was not just inaccurate, but obscene. It is hard to believe that a journalist, in any other context, would not have been able to find a more appropriate term.
When Hamas « gifted » hostage Sagui Dekel-Chen a pair of earrings for his daughter, whom he had never met, born during his captivity, it was not a touching gesture, but rather a message, a warning, a reminder that Hamas can strike even the most innocent, as it did on October 7 by murdering dozens of children.
Unfortunately, the press does not seem to give the necessary attention to this dynamic. Once again, Hamas finds a voice in the international media, which present a sanitized version of a bloodthirsty terrorist group. This happens despite the fact that Hamas members stand on a stage adorned with images of the Al-Aqsa Mosque, accompanied by propaganda related to the massacres of October 7, as well as a message to the world about former American President Donald Trump’s immigration policy: « No immigration except to Jerusalem. »
We mentioned that this week’s coverage had an inevitable quality – coverage in which Sky News, once again, relayed the insidious claim that « Palestinian hostages » were being exchanged for Israelis held in Gaza. We have seen this kind of distortion before: the press refuses to acknowledge Israelis as victims, even when they have been massacred in their homes, held hostage for months, paraded as trophies, and explicitly threatened under the guise of « gifts. »
Instead, we are witnessing reports on the terror experienced by a Red Cross employee during discussions with Hamas terrorists, but no mention of the captives, dazed and disoriented, paraded before a crowd by those who kidnapped them more than 15 months ago.
Hamas may want to project an image of strength and instill fear in Israeli society – among those who simply aspire to live in peace. However, it will not succeed. Nevertheless, his despicable attempt is facilitated by credulous journalists, eager to shape his propaganda and temper his image. Whether consciously or not, the effect remains the same.
Alain SAYADA for Israel Actualités Digital
